Sealed With A Kiss
by Riley Valentine
Summary: She was running away from her past. He was escaping his. Can these two find love even though the outside world is against them? VincentxOC No flames please!
1. I Loved Him

**Chapter One: I Loved Him**

It had been raining for hours, the large, angry beads of water pounding against the sides of the building and tapping against the one small window like the bony fingers of a skeleton attempting to break free from a watery grave. The wind howled and whistled as if competing to be heard, causing the aging structure to creek and moan with exhaustion and age. There was a chill in the air, and the one small lamp that lit the room flickered as Nibelheim's power generators did battle with the storm.

The heavy drumming of rain was what he wanted to focus on, but he couldn't. His mind was trailing back to the previous night, when an old friend had visited him. Tifa Lockhart had stopped by for a moment, asking if he would come and stay with her in Kalm rather than stay in the mansion. Of course, he had politely declined the offer, he would much rather be alone. At least, that's what he wanted to believe. He wanted to deal with his past, and he was quite sure he needed no help. He wanted to deal with Chaos alone, along with his other demons. Everything he wished to do, he wished to do it alone.

He sighed, shifting uncomfortably on his bed. Was it wrong of him to decline Tifa's polite offer? After all, she was only concerned for his welfare. But, he was not concerned with his own welfare and did not want anyone to worry about him, especially not a former teammate. He didn't need to be with anyone, he had never truly needed anyone. No, that was a lie and he knew it. Lucrecia, she was the one he had always needed and always would. He knew he would never be able to hold her again, but he still often dreamt of it.

A crash coming from outside disturbed him. He sat up and swinging his legs over the side of the mattress, he quickly stood. Taking Cerberus from his bedside table, he exited the bedroom. He slipped silently from the sitting room, crimson eyes focused on the door handle. It was turning. He stepped back and waited in the shadows. Surprise hit him as a girl walked in. He could scarcely make out her features in the dark, mostly because she was wearing black. She had on tight leather pants which were ripped in many places, a tight black tank top which came above her naval and was also ripped up. He noticed she was barefoot, and that blood was forming beneath her. Lifting his eyes, he met a pair of brown eyes. They were watery, and held a sort of faraway look in them.

"H-hello?" Her voice was barely a whisper as she tore her eyes from his, looking around. She had so far appeared not to notice him. But then again, that could easily change.

"Who are you? Why have you disturbed me?" His voice was dark and held anger, which he had not meant to use. His eyes were slightly narrowed at her as well, in a mild sense of annoyance.

The girl seemed startled and bowed her head apologetically. "A-Adelya K-Kentarre." She stammered. She nervously looked at him, taking a small step back.

Realizing he had frightened her, he softened his tone, "I didn't mean to scare you-I apologize. You just…surprised me." He hid a smirk as he watched her give a smile. Maybe Tifa had been right, maybe he wasn't a monster like he thought. After all, he had just made a frightened girl smile.

"I surprised you?" Adelya raised a small eyebrow, but was still smiling, much to his pleasure. "At any rate, I should be sorry. I-I thought this place was abandoned." She sounded nervous, and he pitied her.

"As you can tell, it is not. However, I will let you stay, but only for the night. If you need me, just call. My name is Vincent, Vincent Valentine." He replied, turning and walking back to his room. He didn't wish to talk anymore, he needed time to think.

"Thank you." Adelya whispered as he left. She looked at the couch and dropped her bag, sitting down with a small sigh. She lit a kerosene lamp and looked around the room. She found most of the walls covered by bookcases. Even with the light, the room was dark. She could tell it had not been cleaned in years from the dust and by the sound of scuffling feet, mice lived there. _'Great, just what I need. I suppose it's better than nothing though.' _She thought as she laid down, settling back on the couch to make herself comfortable. She sat up suddenly and chuckled, picking up her bag and setting it by her feet. She pulled a tattered blanket from the back of the couch and used it, resting her head on the arm rest of the couch as she closed her heavy eyelids. It only took minutes for her to drift off.

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Morning light streamed through the windows and Vincent let out a small groan of annoyance as he rolled over. He wanted more sleep, not a wake up call. He finally opened his eyes and walked over to the blinds, closing them. He started to go back to bed but stopped by the doorway and peered over at the couch. The girl from the previous night was still there, fast asleep. However, something did not seem right.

As he walked closer, he realized she was sweating and tears stains were on her cheeks. His eyes grew soft upon her and he slowly reached down, brushing strands of silver and black hair from her gentle features. He realized she was burning up and a severe frown took place of his exhaustion. Knowing it would be best to just let her sleep, he went into the kitchen and wet a dish rag. He wrung the cold water from it until it was no longer dripping and went back, placing the cloth across her forehead.

"Avin…" the girl was groaning in her sleep. Hot tears began to pour from her closed eyelids, replacing the old tear stains with new ones.

"Avin?" Vincent frowned more and lifted his normal hand, brushing the salty liquid from her face. He wasn't sure why he was worried or even cared about her, he supposed that was just his nature. At least, it was now. He, at first, was a man of little words and did not care about anything but his sins. Since he had joined Avalanche and been around Tifa and Yuffie all the time, he had softened immensely.

He heard the ringing of a phone and chuckled lightly as the tune to 'Hallelujah' came on. The girl only shifted in her sleep and he decided it would be best to let her continue sleeping. Rummaging through her bag, he produced a small silver phone and flipped it open to turn it off. However, the number surprised him. _Reno. Why would he be calling? How would he even know this girl? _He wondered silently, studying the number to confirm it was Reno. What would a Turk want with a bedraggled girl such as her?

"I suppose I'll find out when she's awake." He mumbled, hitting the 'End' button on the phone. Beginning to put the phone away, he opened her back a little more and moved his hand inside, setting the phone at the bottom again. He was startled as slim fingers curled around his wrist and pulled his hand out.

"What were you doing in there?" He looked up, smirking as he saw the girl watching him. Her eyes were tired and she looked like she might pass out again, but an edge was still in her voice.

"I was putting your phone back. Someone called while you were sleeping, so I decided to cut it off and let you rest." He chuckled as an apologetic look entered her eyes.

"Sorry. I just…have a tendency to make accusations." She grinned sheepishly.

"Then we are alike in a way." He allowed a smile, watching her dig through her back and pull out a much nicer black tank top. The skirt she pulled out with it was tattered and covered in blood stains. She quickly hid it from view and closed her bag, tying a knot.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you last night-I just needed a place to sleep." She said hurriedly, standing up.

"Relax. You may stay as long as you like, if you wish. I was awake when you came, and even I hadn't been, I would've woken from your crash," he chuckled and she blushed lightly.

"I was trying to find a light to be honest. I gave up and tripped over the table-I have bruises to prove it." She allowed another smile, watching him with more interest now.

"You know, if you need something to wear with your shirt, I can lend you something," he offered, watching her clutch the tank top still.

"Would you? I don't have anything more decent to wear, besides these pants." She explained.

"What happened to make them so ripped up?" He asked. She suddenly averted her gaze, sighing wearily.

"I'd rather not talk about it," she replied weakly. He nodded, standing and brushing himself off.

"Come with me, I'll get you a pair of pants." He said, already walking into his room. She quickly followed, looking around. She tripped over the mattress on the floor, but a strong arm caught her and helped her regain balance. "Careful." She looked up, nodding wordlessly at him, going around the mattress. She saw the handle of a gun under his pillow and stopped for a moment.

"You have a gun?" Her voice sounded strange, almost choked.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Vincent turned to face her, a frown upon his face. She quickly shook her head, looking down. Her right hand clutched her left arm as she began to feel uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry. I just…don't have a good experience with guns." Her voice was weak and fearful.

"Reno?" Vincent didn't look up, already knowing she was on the verge of tears.

"How did you know? How do you even know him?" She demanded.

"He was the one that called you earlier and I've fought him before. Even working for Rufus, he was never a bad guy. You must've done something to make him shoot you."

"How did you find that out?!"

"When you fell a moment ago, I caught sight of the bullet wound. There was a hole in your shirt just over the wound."

"I never made him angry with me! He was making me uncomfortable-he went too far! I didn't like what he was doing to me, it scared me. He got too rough one night…" She trailed off, tears slowly falling.

"You don't have to say anymore. I promise to keep you safe if he comes around."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would you protect me? What would you care for a girl such as myself?"

"You've been hurt and abused-no one deserves that. Besides, you don't seem to mind me at all."

"What do you mean?"

"Most people judge me by my appearance and believe me to be a demon. Be as that may, I only truthfully have demon counterparts. I myself am not a demon. Most are frightened by my appearance, but you seem comfortable around me."

"You helped me out. I was able to sleep safely for once thanks to you. Why should I be afraid of you?" She smiled and he nodded.

"You are not like most that I know." He spoke softly.

"Neither are you." She replied with a smile.

"You're right. Reno is nothing like me." He chuckled and her smile grew.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You just did, but yes, you may."

"Why do you live here? In this old mansion? I mean, it's old as dirt and not very welcoming. Why here, of all places in the world?"

"I enjoy my solitude. Being alone gives me time to think. Also, this is where I was kept for thirty years, locked in a coffin. Here is where I can stay, trying to forget my sins."

"Thirty years? You can't be, you're only, what, twenty-five?" He chuckled.

"I'm flattered you think you, but I'm afraid you're quite wrong. I'm sixty. If you'd like an explanation, it's a long story."

"We've got time."

"I suppose we do. In that case, why don't you help me with breakfast and I'll explain everything to you as we eat?"

"Sure!" She grinned at him. It took a moment, but he found a pair of pants close to her size, though they were still big. She thanked him anyways, going into the bathroom to change. He went into the kitchen, getting a head start on breakfast. It was a Wutain meal Yuffie had taught him to make. He was setting the table when she walked out.

"Do they fit well?" He inquired, glancing up at her. He noticed they were loose, but she looked comfortable in them. He saw her tank top, but noticed how small and tight it was on her. It came a few inches above her naval, halfway between it and her breasts. The clothing was tight, he could tell by some of her ribs showing against it. Perhaps this had been a shirt from when she was younger. Or maybe Reno had forced her to wear it.

"They're a little big, but they're fine other wise. Thank you." She smiled at him, but the smile told it all. She was rather uncomfortable in that ridiculous shirt.

"You don't seem very comfortable. Perhaps because of the shirt? Where did you get it?" He queried.

"Reno bought it for me when I first moved in with him, about five months ago. He made me wear it whenever we were alone, that or just my bra." She said quietly.

"Would you like a shirt to go with the pants? I am quite sure one of mine would fit you well." He smiled.

"I couldn't, I've already overstayed my welcome and taken some of your clothing." She blushed.

"You haven't overstayed your welcome at all. You're most welcome here and I don't mind at all. Besides, I can't have my guest uncomfortable." He smirked and she blushed more.

"If you say so…" She trailed off and he nodded. Leading her back into his bedroom, he retrieved one of his smaller shirts for her. She thanked him quietly and slipped back into the bathroom. He sighed lightly and headed back into the kitchen.

"Poor girl, she's not had an easy time, especially with Reno." Vincent muttered to himself.

"Does this look okay?" She entered the room. The shirt, like the pants, was rather big, but it would do. He could take her shopping for a new outfit later.

"It looks perfect. Now, if you'd like to fix drinks, they are in the refrigerator. Glasses are in the cabinet above the sink." He explained, turning back to the stove to fix the meal. He used the spatula, turning the egg over. Taking the bowl next to him, he pulled out a pepper and cut it into pieces with his claw. He dropped the pieces into the pan and used his spatula, pressing them down into the egg. He waited until the egg appeared ready and flipped it into the air, catching it on a plate.

Adelya watched him a moment and shook her head, getting two glasses down. She poured herself a glass of water from his gallon in the refrigerator and turned to him,

"What would you like to drink?"

"Water shall be fine." He replied, bringing the plate to the table. He set it beside the second plate and cut the egg in two, putting half on the other plate. Moving the plates to apposite sides of the table, he turned and went back to the counter. Picking up two bowls filled with slices up fruits, he carried them back to the table. Picking out the slices of pineapple, he aligned them on both sides of the egg on both plates. He popped the leftovers into his mouth and chewed them. Taking a lemon, he squeezed the juice of it over both eggs and sucked the last of the juice out before throwing it away.

"That looks delicious." Adelya remarked from his side. She handed him his glass, sitting at the plate nearest her.

"Why thank you. My friend Yuffie taught me how to make it. It's a recipe from Wutai." Vincent replied. He took a straw from the center of the table and stirred his drink after squeezing the juice of a lemon into it.

"Wutai? I've heard of it, but I've never been there. Reno said he'd take me there someday, but he never did." Her expression fell and she picked at her food with her fork.

"Care to tell me how you met Reno?" Vincent asked, his expression softening from its normal, stoic one.

"I guess I can do that. It was the middle August and it was raining, much like it was last night. I was wandering around, looking for a place to stay. I didn't have the money to stay at an inn, so I just tried to find a dry place to stay the night, I got jumped when I was walking down an alley. Three men had me surrounded. I tried fighting them off, but I wasn't strong enough. They started touching me and tried undressing me. I was afraid, I was crying and shaking when they touched me. I kept begging them to stop but they ignored me.

I heard a gunshot and one of the men cried out. The men scattered after that, leaving me behind. I saw the red-head and he was putting his gun away. He just smiled at me and walked over, putting his arm around me and taking me to his apartment. He calmed me down after that and took care of me. I stayed with him for a few weeks and he took care of me. He did everything to make me happy and I liked him.

But soon, it all ended. He began to abuse me, coming home drunk a lot of the time. I grew afraid of him, and did everything he said. He started forcing me into sex every night and if I cried, he'd hit me and yell. It took two months to finally be able to stand up for myself.

I did so, last night. I packed my belongings, what I still had since he had thrown most of my stuff out, and explained I was leaving. He got angry and he got out his knife. I mostly avoided it, he just ruined my clothing. I ran and he shot me. It hurt, but I continued running. I found myself here and decided I would be safe." Adelya was looking down, eating a little bit as she finished.

"How long had you known Reno before the abuse started?" Vincent asked softly.

"Three weeks. That's when he began to get rougher, coming home drunk all the time. He burned all of my clothes, making me wear the clothing he bought me." Adelya whispered.

"Why didn't you leave him when the abuse first started?"

"I loved him."

A/N I really hope you guys like this, it took FOREVER to put this up, I've been writing it for months. I'm not going to put up the next chapter until I get two reviews, so please review! Tell me what needs to be fixed if anything! I realized Vince might be a little OOC, but I figured he'd open up and talk more after DoC and hanging around Yuffie and Tifa. Btw, I'm not bashing Reno! Not at all! You'll find out all about him later. :P And rememver! I own NOTHING FFVII.


	2. Pride

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Chapter 2: Pride

"Love is a strong emotion. It's a complicated thing, that we must learn to respect." Vincent spoke his piece of wisdom. Adelya snorted quietly, shaking her head to disagree.

"Love always leads you in the wrong direction. It destroys you." She said, staring down at her drink. Tears began filling her eyes as she thought of her first love. It had been her best friend, Daemen. She had been seventeen at the time, and remembered it clearly. They had met at the store, both buying flowers. Adelya for her mother's grave, Daemen for his home. They had both reached for the same one, and blushed and apologized.

__

Flashback

"I'm sorry." She withdrew her hand, looking up at the man in embarrassment. Her stomach began to tie in knots as she thought, 'how handsome'. The man before her was brushing his brown bangs from his light green eyes, grinning at her. He was sporting a green turtleneck, the sleeves rolled back to show his well-muscled arms, and jeans held up by a brown belt. They covered his shoes, so she couldn't quite see what they were. Her guess was boots, but it was just a guess.

"Don't be. I should have been paying more attention." He held out his hand, waiting for her to take it. "I'm Daemen, Daemen Uru." He introduced.

"Adelya Kentarre." She shook his hand, surprising him with a firm shake.

"I've never seen you around here before. Are you new to the area?" Daemen asked politely.

"Kind of. I'm taking classes up at the university." Adelya explained, releasing his hand.

"Really? That's a good half hour away. May I ask why you decided to shop here?" He lowered his hand back to the flower, lifting the pot.

"I came home to visit. My mother, she died a few years ago on this day. I wanted to get some flowers to plant at her grave." She said quietly.

"Then you need this flower more than I do. Is there anything else you need?" Daemen handed the flower over, keeping his fingers beneath it until she had it in her hands. She felt something of a shock run through her as their skin touched, the feeling sending shivers down her spine. She felt all tingly inside as his warm fingers left her hand, allowing the pot to fit snugly against her palm.

"Well, there are a few things I need to look for…" She admitted, a warm blush rising to her cheeks.

"Awesome. Mind if I join you?" He watched her expectantly, vibrant green eyes piercing her own. The color deepened, and a few strands of hair slipped over her face as her chin lowered.

"Sure." She pulled her buggy back, allowing him to pull alongside her. Together, they began hunting for lilies.

"ADELYA!"

End Flashback

"ADELYA!" Vincent's voice snapped her back into a painful reality.

"…what?" She looked at him with a blank expression.

"You were staring off into space. I couldn't get your attention." He explained quietly.

"Sorry. Just thinking…" She sighed, shaking her head. How had something so good gone so wrong? She had loved Daemen, and he had been so kind to her. Why had he changed?

"Do you wish to talk about it?" Vincent inquired awkwardly.

"No. I'd like to hear more about you, if you don't mind." Adelya said quickly. Her past was full of misery, and she didn't want to think about it anymore. Perhaps Vincent's story could distract her.

"Very well. It all started when I was a Turk, thirty-three years ago. I was given the task of a bodyguard, to Dr. Lucrecia Crescent. She had worked with my father when I was younger and witnessed his death. When I was sent to guard her, she wasn't enthusiastic. I kept hearing her whisper, asking why they had sent his son. Of course, I didn't think clearly back then, and never tried to understand.

The longer I stayed with her, the more I began to love her. Every little quirk, every little thing, I began to love and admire. But she could never feel quite the same. A part of her loved me, she said. But another part was guilty about my father's death. After a one night stand, she left me for Hojo, another scientist working with her and Professor Gast.

Hojo shortly began the Jenova project, and Lucrecia agreed to have his baby and use it in the experiment. I was furious, demanding she reconsider. But Lucrecia was stubborn, and insisted on using her baby in the experiment. I confronted her and Hojo several times, but they wanted to continue the project anyways.

Eventually, I confronted Hojo alone. He was annoyed by my constant pestering, and pulled a gun. He shot me in the chest. I can remember Lucrecia running in, but that was about it. I next woke up on an operating table screaming in pain. Hojo sawed my left arm off. He replaced it with a golden claw. I realized then, that he was using me for an experiment. I died during the procedure, I'm positive I did. But somehow the Chaos gene Dr. Crescent had been studying revived me. Hojo locked me in the basement in a coffin, and AVALANCHE woke me several years later." Vincent's story took altogether half an hour, as he went back and explained in more detail some of the events.

By the end, Adelya realized they had quite a bit in common. They had both been experiments of a mad scientist, they both hosted demons, and they had been hurt by love. Also, Adelya knew Yuffie and Tifa quite well, after meeting them at Tifa's bar one night. Vincent had recalled Tifa telling him about a new friend, but had thought nothing of it.

"It's sad, isn't it? How Tifa fawns over Cloud and he continues searching for Aeris?" Adelya asked absently.

"Indeed. I've tried talking to him about it, but he refuses to answer his phone."

"Yuffie says you never answer your phone, either."

"I don't." A smile tugged at his lips.

"Why? You have friends that want to check up on you every now and then."

"They do not need to worry about me."

"Vincent, I hate to break it to you, but friends worry about each other all the time. They want to know if you're still breathing."

"That's something I don't understand. Why they care about me so much."

"You. Are. Their. Friend. They. Like. You." Adelya said it plain and slow. He frowned severely, but she was unfazed. "So, you say Lucrecia is in a cave somewhere? We should visit-"

"No." His icy tone cut her off.

"It's rude to interrupt. Now-"

"Adelya." He warned. They had only known each other for a few hours and already she was prying too deep. She acted like they were friends.

"Vincent, listen to me for a minute. We should visit so you can face your past and get over it."

"Get over it like you're over Reno?" His words were bitter. She felt the water in her eyes but ignored it.

"That was yesterday. It's going to take some time-"

"So I can't take my time either?"

"Vincent, it's different! You've had over thirty years-"

"Repenting for my sins!" His claw slammed against the table, silencing her instantly. "You have no idea what I went through. It took a lot just to accept that I'm different."

"Because you're an experiment?" She growled, anger covering her fear. "Because you think you're a monster? Because you look different? Vincent-"

"I've heard enough." He snapped, glaring daggers at her. She broke, standing up and pointing her finger at him.

"You think you're the only one with problems? I've got news for you, Valentine. You're not the only experiment on the planet! You're not the only one with a broken heart! I suffered the same way you did, when I was much younger." And with that, she ran from the kitchen, grabbed her bag from the couch, and darted out.

"Shit." Vincent got up, going to get Cerberus and his phone. He needed to call Tifa and put her on alert. He planned to call Reno as well.

She just couldn't stop. The tears continued to fall as she ran, mixing with the rain streaking her face. She had just wanted a friend, or someone to care at least. Vincent had thrown her life to the trash, claiming it to be nothing compared to his. He didn't know about Orez. He didn't know about Zion, or Jaiku and her father. And there was no way he would ever know about Daemen or Antimony.

Her heart began to pound faster, and her breath came in quick gasps. She had to stop. The pain in her lungs was growing, and it was getting harder to focus. Her legs tangled, sending her face first into the rock. She laid there, watching blood began to form by her chin. It was dripping from her mouth, larger drops slowly coming.

Bringing up her hand, she pushed herself up weakly. Everything was hurting. Her legs were burning from the intense run, her lungs were searing from the pain inside, her face now hurt from the fall. She closed her eyes, lowering herself back to the ground. It was no good. She couldn't run another mile, even if it meant her life. At least she had made it outside of town.

But her life was in danger. No one was safe wandering the mountains. Then again, it had never been safe. Demons lurked everywhere, waiting for prey to come close enough for them to strike. She was now the prey. Adelya was positive she wouldn't last more than an hour unless she found shelter. But there was nowhere to go except to old reactor, and she didn't want to go there. Too many memories of Sephiroth.

__

Flashback

"Mom!" The fourteen year old tried running through the flames, but they severely burned her skin.

"Mommy's not here right now." She spun around, angling her neck to stare up into those sick green eyes.

"Sephiroth…" She tried backing away, but she hit the counter and sank to the floor. He raised his sword, but the blow never came. She looked up, surprised to see Sephiroth on his knees, holding his head in pain.

"No…" He moaned, staggering back to his feet. Without looking back he ran, leaving her alone in the burning house.

End Flashback

She had never seen her mother again. Her father had left her, going to join Sephiroth. She had been alone. God had it hurt. She remembered crying herself to sleep in the orphanage, being teased by the other kids. They had assaulted her countless times, and to this day she still had some scars. It had been a nightmare there, until she was sixteen. She had been adopted by an elderly gentleman, and lived with him for a while.

Then she had met Daemen, and her world turned upside-down. She had fallen deeply in love with her first true crush. They had dated until she was seventeen, where they became engaged and soon married. She had been happy with him, until he changed. He was no longer the sweet, gentle nymph that she knew. Now he was a cold-blooded man who harmed her in any way he could.

Now all she wanted to do was forget. Forget and move on. She didn't ever want to love again, as it had ruined her both times. So she wanted to move in with a friend, most likely Tifa, and try and start her new life there.

"Tifa, I'm sorry!" Vincent sighed in exasperation into the phone, closing his eyes. His palm rubbed his forehead in frustration. Tifa had exploded in anger when he told her about upsetting Adelya. She was scolding him about how he should have known better than to yell while she was sick and in distress. Now that he thought about it, she had only been trying to help. And now she was gone, most likely in danger once more.

"Tifa, calm down. I need you to call Cid and have him bring you all here. I'm not sure I'll be able to find her on my own. She's probably already left town by now." A pause. "Thank you. I will see you then." He hung up, and sank back into the couch.

"You idiot." He muttered angrily. "She was just trying to help you out. And you had to go and anger her. She's sick, and now she's out in the storm. Leviathan, what have I done?" He buried his face in his hands, trying to think. He was nothing but a monster. He had hurt an innocent girl, and now she was on the run. Reno would probably find her, and do who knows what to her.

He had to find her. Getting to his feet, he checked his gun and headed out the door. She couldn't have gone too far. He would check town first, and then a few of the mountain trails. Yes, that's exactly what he would do. Sighing, he walked off to the inn in hopes of finding her safe and sound.

"Stop it!" Adelya cried, kicking at the monster attacking her leg. It snarled, baring its fangs at her. She kicked harder, knocking it out. Fearfully, she looked back at her bleeding leg. It felt broken. No, it _was _broken. She tried getting up, but collapsed back to the ground. She was definitely a goner now.

It was all her fault she was out here. She had pushed Vincent across the line, wanting to help him. She had only made things worse, and he was sure to hate her more now. In fact, he was probably sitting at the mansion, hoping she was miserable, or dead. Tears filled her eyes again. She had only tried to help. Was that so wrong? She always failed when she tried to help. She had failed her mother, her friends, and ultimately Vincent.

Of course, that had been ages ago. At least, that's what it felt like. In truth, it had been little over three hours. She was a little hungry, but she would last for a few more hours before she actually wanted food. The only thing she direly wanted was water, and for her leg to stop hurting.

"Adelya?" The voice belonged to a male, one she wished she would never see again.

"No…" She moaned, thinking of the pain to come as Daemen approached.

"Adelya, I'm here to help you. Come on, let me take you back to the-"

"No! You hate me, all you do is abuse me!" She covered her ears, loud sobs echoing around her. Wait. Was that coming from her? Yes. Now that she thought about it, it was indeed coming from her. It was making her chest ache worse.

"Adelya, you're sick with a fever. You don't understand-"

"Don't touch me!" She screamed as he gently touched her shoulder. "All you ever did was hurt me! I tried to get away from you, but I fell right back into the pain when I met Reno. He hurt me the same way you did. It was like he turned into you, Daemen."

"Adelya, listen to me-"

"NO!" She screamed, kicking with her good leg as he began to pick her up. "NO! LET ME GO! VINCENT! TIFA! RENO!" She screamed for the first people that came to mind before the darkness took her. With one last sob, her eyes lost focus of Vincent's concerned face, and closed.

"How is she?" Vincent stood as Tifa entered the room, biting his lip.

"Alive, if that's what you mean. She has a high fever, and she won't wake up. She's having nightmares." She replied coldly, as if blaming him for all of this. Of course she was. This was his fault, after all, he thought sadly.

"Tifa? Who was…Daemen?" He asked, hoping to gain some information. She stiffened, turning her back to him.

"I'm not the one who needs to tell you." She said quietly, leaving to go get some rest herself. It had been five long hours since rescuing Adelya, and he had been worried every moment. He could hear her screams from upstairs every so often and an occasional sob. She was clearly suffering from her nightmare. Daemen had to be the cause of it.

He remembered finding Adelya curled up on the cliff, right at the edge. If she rolled the wrong way, she would have fallen over the edge and been crushed. He had been surprised to see an unconscious creature laying at her feet, muzzle dripping blood. She must have been laying there for a while for something to attack.

Which only made him feel worse. It was his fault she was now worse, and had a slim chance of survival. She had pneumonia, and a deadly case of it that he had only made worse by chasing her out into the pouring rain. And now her ankle was broken, definitely not helping her case.

"Don't beat yourself up over this Vince, it was just a girl." Cloud said from the recliner, sighing.

"You're one to talk." Vincent snapped, in no mood to be reprimanded.

"Uncle Vincent!" A nine year old burst into the room, slamming into his chest. He hugged Marlene fiercely, pressing his face to her hair.

"Hello Marlene. How are you?" He asked, continuing to hold her.

"Dad says I'm going to stay with you for a few weeks!" She completely ignored his question, trying to pull his cape around her. He pulled her up into his lap and unbuckled it, draping the cloth around her.

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow, glancing up as Barret entered the room.

"Yo Vince! How's it goin'?" He asked, voice loud as usual.

"Barret, keep it down! Adelya's resting!" Tifa scolded, entering the room.

"Sorry 'bout that." He chortled, seating himself on the opposite end of the couch.

"FUCK!" A curse came from outside, followed by a thump and a yell.

"Cid's here." Tifa sighed, going outside to see what was up.

"Vincent!" Yuffie barged onto the scene, grinning happily. "I brought materia!" she exclaimed, holding up the green orbs.

"Give them to Tifa. She can try it when she goes to check on her aga-"

"VINCENT!" A scream came from upstairs. The team was up immediately, hurrying up the stairs. Vincent threw the door open, looking at the bed. Adelya was sitting up, gasping for breath, blood oozing from her shoulder where a knife had been thrown.

"What happened?" He demanded, hurrying over to pull the knife out.

"W-Where's Tifa?" She asked, ignoring his question. She pushed his hand away, trembling as she scanned the team. Each had an expression of concern, especially Yuffie and Marlene. "Yuffie, go get Tifa." She said quickly, heart pounding to no end.

"Was it-"

"Just go!" Adelya's voice was practically hysterical as she told the ninja to find their friend.

"You okay?" Cloud asked, walking over.

"I need to talk to Tifa." Adelya replied, staring down at her lap.

"I understand that." He knelt beside the bed, offering a smile. "She'll be up in a minute. Will you let me get the knife out?" His voice was unreasonably calm, but it did help calm her down. She nodded, whimpering when he grabbed the handle. "Here, just grip my hand and it won't hurt for more than a second." He soothed, setting his hand on her side. She grabbed it instantly, squeezing her tearful eyes shut. The knife was pulled out and she yelped, clutching his hand with all her strength. He noticeably winced, surprised that she was so strong.

"Here, let me take her." Tifa said from behind him. Cloud nodded, pulling his hand away. She held out a bandage, beginning to wrap the shoulder. Adelya hissed in pain, clenching her jaw tightly.

"Tifa, he's back." The words made Tifa stiffen just as Vincent had seen and her movement stopped.

"That…that's impossible. We killed-"

"Daemen?" Cloud asked, frowning. "But he's dead. I saw-"

"It was him!" Adelya insisted, narrowing her eyes. "Check the window. He broke the lock, and I think he left a note. He said something about you finding the answer with the lock." She added quickly. Barret went to the window, pulling back the curtain. He saw the lock and a slip of paper sitting on the sill, just as she had said.

"Cloud…" He handed the paper over.

"Read it aloud!" Yuffie spoke up, wanting direly to know what it said.

"Dear Team,

So, you've found my girl, have you? Are you protecting her like you should be? I should think not. It was quite easy getting in, especially since she was alone and defenseless in the room. I can't wait until I get to try again! You thought you had me, but your foolish pride blinded you. You just walked away, expecting me to be dead after you stabbed me. But I lived, and I shall always haunt your steps. I want you to know that despite what she tells you, Reno wasn't at fault. It was me. I took Reno's place, I drove her away. She doesn't deserve to be happy after killing our children and running away. She does not deserve happiness. Oh well, she'll be dead soon enough, and so will you.

Sincerely, Daemen."

"What does this mean?" Tifa asked, frowning. Cloud sighed,

"It means we're at war."


	3. Revelations

**Chapter 3: Revelations**

"Would someone like to explain what's going on?" Nanaki voiced the question most were thinking.

"It's a long story…" Cloud scratched the back of his head, glancing uneasily at Adelya.

"I believe we have the right to know." Vincent stated.

"You're right. I'll tell you, I just need to eat something first. I'm hungry." Adelya grinned weakly at Tifa.

"I made you soup. And it has marshmallows." Tifa smirked, heading downstairs.

"Spike, why don't you explain how you met her?" Barret asked, folding his arms.

"I was picking up a delivery at Tifa's bar. I was almost there, when I found her unconscious on the side of the road. She…" He hesitated, looking at Adelya for help. She smiled faintly,

"I was naked, and beaten nearly to death. He brought me to Tifa's bar, where I woke up. Yuffie was concentrating on healing me with materia while Tifa made dinner. Cloud had gone out of the room since I was still naked, and was on his phone with Reeve, explaining that he couldn't make the delivery. Once I was healed, Tifa took me into her room and got me a change of clothes. I explained what happened, that I was on the run from a nymph, and she was sympathetic."

"Tifa for ya." Barret muttered.

"I agree." Cloud sighed. "Adelya was beaten by her husband, who was after her for killing their children. Before you start hating her, let her explain it." He said noticing Barret's scowl and Nanaki's frown.

"My children were turning evil, like Daemen. I couldn't leave my house anymore, because they would find an excuse and keep me there until Daemen was home. He was turning them against me, and raising them into monsters. I had no choice. They didn't deserve their lives, they deserved happiness. I had to do it."

"You couldn't teach them better?" Nanaki asked.

"Unfortunately, no. I tried, don't think I didn't give them an option. They were just kids, I didn't want them to end up like their father. I realized nothing could be done once my son killed his baby sister because his father ordered him to. He and my other daughter did anything he told them to, and that included hurting me. I didn't kill them to end my abuse. I killed them to end theirs."

"Hm." Barret wasn't fond of her excuse, but he knew it was for the best.

"Understandable." Nanaki told her, leaping onto the bed, curling up at her feet.

"But Daemen went after her for it, and caught her just outside of Kalm." Cloud shook his head. "He discovered where she was two weeks later, and attacked Tifa because she was hiding Adelya. I arrived just in time, and managed to help fight him. I got him out of the bar, and I thought we had it finished outside. But he lived, apparently."

"Daemen was terrible. I was still with them when he came. Adelya looked frightened, and I took her up to the attic to hide." Yuffie put in her part. "She was crying, really upset. I was afraid he was going to find us and kill us both. But Tifa stopped him from following, and then Cloud came."

"I'm glad he did." Tifa re-entered, carrying a steaming bowl. "Daemen was tough, and I would have been killed if Cloud hadn't come."

"He had her pinned onto the counter…" There was more, but no one dared ask as Cloud made a fist and glared daggers at the far wall.

"Cloud, it's okay." Adelya leaned forward, gently touching his shoulder. He nodded, relaxing his body and turning to smile weakly at her.

"Soup!" Tifa handed it over, laughing as Adelya quickly began to scarf it down. "Adelya, calm down! There's plenty more where that came from!" They all laughed as Adelya ignored her and finished the bowl, handing it over.

"It was good. I'll have another bowl when I'm done, if that's okay." A nod. "Thanks." She said. Tifa smiled, sitting cross-legged on the floor, looking up.

"Tell us about meeting the nymph." Nanaki requested.

"We met at the market, both buying flowers. He was getting them for his home, I was planting them on my mother's grave. I was seventeen, he was twenty-one. He was always gentle, and never did anything wrong to me. Until we got married a few months later. A week after the wedding, he wanted to have sex. I…wasn't ready. He got so angry with me, and he…" Adelya closed her eyes, fighting tears once more. They didn't press her, waiting a few minutes until she could speak again.

"He violated me. He raped and abused me to no end. I felt so filthy, and after a few more days of putting up with it, I wanted a divorce. He put a collar around me, so he could watch what I did and who I spoke to. I was nothing more than his possession.

I eventually had help getting the collar off by an old friend named Avin. When I told him about Daemen, he went looking for him. Daemen…he killed him, and then he tried killing me afterwards. I ran, and that's pretty much when he beat me half to death on the side of the road and left me to die. That's when Cloud found me." She sighed, shaking her head. "I should've seen right through him."

"After I left Tifa's bar, I went off to start my life over, to make up for my sins." Vincent jerked his head up, raising an eyebrow as he watched her. She tore her eyes from his face, pain filling the brown orbs remorsefully. "That's when I met Reno, and it was Daemen all over again." There wasn't anything to explain.

"But now we know it wasn't Reno." Tifa reassured, offering a smile. Adelya nodded and laid back, closing her eyes.

"I'd give anything to start my life over, as a normal person. The only thing I wouldn't change is meeting you all." Her smile was clearly strained, as her emotional state was unstable.

"Well, we should leave you to rest." Tifa stood, putting her hands on her hips. "We can all talk downstairs."

"Someone should stay and keep an eye on her." Cloud advised.

"Vincent…?" Tifa didn't voice the request, fearing he would reject it.

"If that is what you wish…" He didn't look all too happy, but nodded anyways.

"Thanks. Take care of her. Adel, call if you need anything." Tifa told her.

"I will, I promise." Adelya grinned, the expression fading quickly as the group left the room. She turned slowly onto her stomach, sighing into the pillow. "Vincent?" Her voice was unsteady, and he knew why.

"Hm?" He looked to her slowly until their eyes locked.

"Can you open the window or something? It's a little warm…" Adelya didn't want to mention it was because she was uncomfortable. He crossed the room, doing as told.

"Better?"

"Thanks." She didn't answer his question and he sighed.

"I wasn't angry with you.' She froze, lifting her head slowly to watch him.

"I don't want to talk about it…"

"I wanted to apologize. This is my fault. I shouldn't have gotten upset." He walked over, sitting on the edge of the bed. Tears slowly filled her eyes again and she buried her face to the pillow.

"I shouldn't have said anything. She must have been special to you." Her voice was muffled, but he could tell there was something different, a new emotion that he was all too familiar with. Jealousy.

"You're a foolish girl. Do not waste your time on a crush." He growled, anger seeping into his voice.

"It's not a crush." She retorted weakly, too tired to argue.

"Then what is it?" He narrowed his eyes. If she dared to say it…

"Compassion for a friend." She snapped, resent growing within her. "Of course, you don't want me to care. You don't want anyone to care."

"I'll hurt anyone I get close to." He muttered darkly. She sat up, wincing at the pain in her shoulder.

"You're hopeless! All I want is to be your friend!" She climbed out of bed, limping toward the bathroom. Her ankle had been healed, but it was still sore.

"Where are you going?" He asked, following her.

"To drown myself in my sorrow like you." She spat, shoving the door open.

"I believe Tifa will have to help if you are going to show-"

"I don't need help!" She barked in defense, turning to glower at him. Sweat covered her body, soaking her to the bone.

"Adelya, calm do-"

"No! I can do this on my own!" It was then that he realized there was tears streaming down her cheeks, and she was sobbing quietly.

"Come back to bed and lie down." He offered his hand, stepping forward. She shakily stepped back, her eyes clouding over.

"N-No." She stammered, backing up until she hit the wall.

"I'm trying to help you." He whispered, gently gripping her upper arm. She fought, but her shoulder protested with pain and she remained still.

"Let me go…I'm not weak…I'm not weak…" He could hear the fear in her voice as she sobbed. She thought he was going to hurt her.

"Adelya, it's okay." He cupped her cheek, lifting her face to let her eyes rest upon his face.

"Stop it!" She screamed, collapsing to the floor. She covered her head with her arms, sobbing as she curled up into the corner. "Stop it!" He knelt, watching her in concern. When she began coughing uncontrollably, he pulled her into his chest and held her as she choked on blood and saliva. She eventually vomited, and shivered against his chest.

"So, what do you think we should do?" Nanaki inquired, looking around the group for answers. Tifa began filling glasses with coffee, setting the pot down once each glass was full. She stood behind Cloud, as they were all seated at the kitchen table.

"Hunt down that son of a bitch and kill him!" Barret boomed.

"Hell yeah!" Cid agreed, lighting his cigarette.

"We'll let Vincent keep an eye on her while we search for him." Cloud added.

"And me!" Marlene huffed. Even if she wasn't as important, she could still help out.

"Of course Marlene." Tifa smiled.

"I think we ought to find out from Adelya where this Daemen lives. We can ambush him at his home." Reeve spoke up.

"Adelya told us he wasn't always home." Yuffie explained.

"Then we'll stake the place out." Reeve amended.

"Poor kid…what kind of monster would do that to her?" Barret sighed heavily.

"A demon, that's for sure." Cloud said bitterly. Tifa hugged him from behind, trying to calm him. It seemed to work as he sighed and leaned back into her.

"Well-" A thud came from upstairs, cutting Cid off. He frowned, looking at Tifa curiously.

"Let's go." She said, leading them up the stairs. They re-entered the bedroom, surprised to find the room empty.

"Vince?" Cloud called, readying his buster sword.

"In the bathroom. Is Tifa with you?"

"Yeah, I'm here Vincent." Tifa pushed open the cracked door, surprised to find the two curled up in the corner. Vincent was cradling Adelya to his chest as she shook and coughed up blood against him.

"She's getting worse. Her fever has risen and she's vomiting and coughing up blood." Vincent informed as Tifa covered her mouth.

"Cloud, go find a doctor. I don't care where you find one, just bring him here. She needs medical attention." Tifa said. The blonde nodded, hurrying from the mansion. "Vincent, can you carry her back to the bed?" He nodded, lifting the girl to take back into the bedroom. It was then they both realized she looked like death, her eyes tired and fearful, her cheeks sunk in, her body paler than Vincent's own.

"It is worse than I feared." Vincent whispered, walking into the bedroom. He gently set her onto the bed, flinching as she vomited up the majority of her stomach.

"V…Vincent…I'm not ready to die…" Her words startled the group and they all looked at her. "T…Tell Cloud to hurry…" She was nearly in tears as she began retching once more.

"You won't die." He whispered, shaking his head. "I won't fail you." No one else heard these soft words. Vincent realized then he had said those words to Lucrecia once before. He hoped the outcome would be different.

A/N Okay, a new chapter up! They're coming so fast because I have seven chapters so far. But the next chapter probably won't be up until the weekend or so. Since I thought this story would never appear here, I went ahead and rushed everything. So I need to edit my saved chapters and write a few new one's to place inbetween other chapters.

Reviews are love!

If anybody has suggestions for the future, feel free to tell me about them! I have several ideas for the future but they all won't last very long! And some are just plain confusing, so I won't use them so much.

Review please!


	4. Picnic

**Picnic?**

It had been a couple of weeks, and Vincent was surprised by how strong the woman seemed to be. Adelya hardly complained about her injuries, even when they bled anew. He often caught her crying at night, but never let her know. He couldn't do anything, so why bring attention to the matter?

Barret, Nanaki, Shera, and Cid were gone. Cid had flown everyone home, but he would be back in a month or so to pick up Tifa and Cloud. The swordsman had brought a doctor, but the man could not identify the disease and knew not what to do. Vincent hadn't missed the fear in Adelya's eyes when this information was shared with her. Of course, she had every right to be afraid, not knowing whether she would live or die.

Tifa had her own theories, of course. She had thought it to be a case of Geostigma, and that perhaps Adelya had missed the rain that would have healed her. This was the theory they believed, because pneumonia would have been healed with a weeks worth of medicine. Aside from that, the doctor had run tests and said that theory was a negative. So they clung to the Geostigma theory, while Cloud was out searching for a new cure, as scientists had gathered the last traces of water from the church.

Currently, the princess ninja thief was sharing a room with the young woman. Tifa had wanted to, but Yuffie had insisted upon it. She was only a few years younger than their friend, and she was easier to talk to, as Adelya had gently explained. Tifa had taken no offense, knowing the ninja's cheery attitude was bound to do her friend some good.

At the moment, Adelya was laying in the armchair, a book in her hands. Yuffie and Tifa were outside in the yard sparring, with Marlene watching them. The little girl had stayed just as told, letting her father go home alone. Which left Vincent inside with the young woman.

"Are you hungry?" His deep voice rumbled as he entered the room.

Her lips twitched into a smile. "I'm not entirely helpless you know. I can still go to the kitchen and fix myself a meal." Her tone was light, teasing. He smiled at the warmth her voice held.

"Of course." He turned to leave, but waited for her to ask a favor as she always did.

"I am a little thirsty…" She spoke softly, turning her head to smirk at his back. He turned, grinning as well. "Can I have a glass of water?"

"Didn't you just tell me you could do it yourself?" He teased. She tried to pout, but her laughter overcame it.

"Yes, I suppose I did." She mused. Dropping the book into her lap, she stretched her arms before herself, until her shoulders cracked. She stood, catching the book right before it hit the ground. She tossed it back into her chair and headed for the kitchen, chuckling as she heard him follow.

"I was joking. I would have gotten the water for you." Vincent told her.

"It's no problem. I needed to get up and stretch anyway." She flashed another smile, reaching up to open one of the higher cabinets for a cup. "Did you really have to stack the glasses so high?" She asked, turning to him.

"It's not my fault you're so short." He teased. Her eyes narrowed and a scowl crossed.

"I'm only a few inches shorter than you." She said, a bit miffed. She strode to the sink and quickly filled her glass.

"Yes, I suppose you are." He mused, eyeing her for a moment. She felt his eyes roaming and turned, a curious look in her eyes. She opened her mouth, but a different question came out.

"Where are Tifa and Yuffie? Still sparring?"

"Yes, and Marlene is watching them." He chuckled. "Hm, I do hope she doesn't turn into Yuffie. I don't think I can handle two of them."

"Yuffie's not that bad. You know, she likes to talk at night. In her sleep of course. But she misses her home…" Adelya bit her lip. "I think we need to try and convince her to go home."

"Hm." The gunslinger bowed his head in thought. "Don't you think we need her help in order to keep you safe?" He asked.

"No. Daemen hasn't made a move, and it's almost been a month. He won't come back for a while." She sounded so sure of herself, so sure her former husband wouldn't come back for her.

"What makes you so sure?" He asked. He knew he should have kept his mouth shut when she flinched.

"Sometimes he was gone…and his friends kept their hands off of me." She looked down.

"You didn't leave while he was gone?"

"I couldn't. He kept a metal collar on me….it hurt me if I went too far from the house." She bit her lip. Sighing, she lifted her glass and took a sip of the tap water. It wasn't as good as bottled water, but she could make do.

"You suffered a lot, didn't you?" It surprised Vincent how much he cared for this strange woman. Perhaps it was so because he knew what her position was like. Maybe not the abuse, but being an experiment, being emotionally hurt by a loved one, he had felt that before.

"Yes. Maybe I'm a bad person, and this is my punishment." She whispered. He saw her façade crumble, and pain marred her features.

"That can't be true. After all, you've helped me more than I can express." He never did like seeing a woman broken. It brought back memories of Lucrecia, the times when Hojo neglected her and she needed comfort. She arced an eyebrow, but said nothing in reply. She finished her glass of water and set it in the sink, hoisting herself up onto the counter.

"Have I now?" She mused, smiling at him.

"Well, you've succeeded in helping me face my past." Vincent chuckled.

"That's always a plus." She grinned.

"I'm going outside to see how the other women are doing. Care to join me?" He offered his arm to her.

"Why I'd love to, Mr. Valentine." Adelya linked arms, sliding from the countertop. He smiled, leading her outside. She inhaled the fresh air, enjoying the smell of the crisp autumn air.

"Hey guys!" Yuffie grinned from where she lay in the grass. Tifa and Marlene were next to her, eyes closed.

"Weren't you sparring last time I checked?" Vincent arced an eyebrow.

"We called it a tie." The martial artist sighed. "So, how are you two doing?" She cracked an eye open. "How's your shoulder?"

"It's great! I'm pretty sure it's healed fully." Adelya replied.

"That's good. And the vomiting? Is it getting any better?"

"Haven't thrown up yet today." The young woman replied.

"Good, good. Maybe a doctor isn't necessary…" Tifa said softly.

"She still looks a little pale. And she still has a small fever." Vincent cut her off quickly.

"I really don't feel that bad, honest!" Adelya replied.

"We'll see. So, I'm thinking about making burgers for lunch. What do you guys think?" The barmaid hummed.

"Sounds good to me." Adelya spoke first.

"With cheese on mine!" Marlene voiced.

"I'll go fire up the grill!" Yuffie leaped to her feet, darting around to the back of the house.

"We should have a picnic…" Tifa mused.

"Why not down by the lake? It's the perfect spot, it has a great view." Adelya encouraged.

"Good enough for me! You two want to go get blankets and set us up an area?" Tifa smiled at the two.

"Sure thing." The pair headed back to the house, arms still linked. Adelya slipped her arm free, hurrying upstairs to the linen closet. He followed, watching her pull the door open and stretch up to reach the blankets. Pain twisted her features a moment later and she gasped, dropping her injured arm quickly, gripping her shoulder with the other hand.

"Are you all right?" Vincent hurried over, frowning at her.

"Yes. My wound's still a little tender." Adelya replied, attempting to shrug his concern away. But he pushed her hand away, lowering her sleeve and bra strap. She squirmed under his stare as his burning gaze swept over her freshly bleeding wound.

"The scab was broken. You're bleeding again. Come on, let's go bandage it again." He took her hand, leading her to the bathroom. She sat on the edge of the tub, already taking her shirt off.

"You don't have to do this, you know. I can handle it myself." She tried. He only shook his head, kneeling to get the gauze wrap.

"I'd rather do it myself. I have experience in the medics field, I know what I'm doing." He stood, carefully wrapping her shoulder. She smiled, noting his eyes stayed fixed on her shoulder.

"You're an honorable man, Valentine. More so than I thought. Lucrecia was truly lucky to have been your love." Adelya smirked. "You don't think it will ever happen again?"

"What will?" He frowned, glancing up into her soft brown eyes. He felt a tug in his heart, but shook his head and focused on the task at hand.

"Do you think you'll ever fall in love again?"

"No. And even if it did, I wouldn't deserve the love in return. My sins…" He trailed off, closing his eyes.

"Hey, I thought you were over that. You have no sins, none of that was your fault. Besides, the past should stay in the past. It should stay in a grave for eternity." Adelya said bitterly.

"You've really been hurt, haven't you?" Vincent sat on the floor, looking up at her. She slid down beside him, nodding.

"Yes. Look, they're probably waiting on us, we should go." Adelya hastily tugged her shirt back on, getting up. She hurried from the room, not daring to look back. It wasn't fear of the man, but fear of developing feelings for him. He clearly wanted none to care about him and she didn't want to be hurt again.

Vincent slowly got up, rubbing the back of his neck. He would deny he had feelings for the girl. There was no way he could love again, no way he could trust her to never hurt him. He stood, following to help get their supplies.

A/N: I know it's short, my apologies. I had a lot of writer's block in this, sorry. If anyone has ideas on how to start the next chapter, please let me know. I need some serious help writing this fan-fic. Anyway, reviews are love. And if you haven't already, check out my other story, Fiery Embrace. It's coming along nicely.

Also, I'm considering starting an Avatar story. What do you think? More information in the latest chapter of Fiery Embrace!


	5. Faith

**Faith**

His lip curled, a low snarl rising in his chest. "How _dare _she!" He slammed his fist against the trunk of the tree, glowering at the group having a picnic only a few yards away. He watched in disgust how the little girl played with his wife's hair, braiding the silver hair with the black streaks that ran through it. He loathed the man that watched, his laughter soft and warm. He loathed the two older woman that were there as well, chatting with each other incessantly.

It should be him down there, enjoying his wife. They would have never had company, they would have been enjoying the alone time. He would have taken her into the water, stripping her of all clothing. They would have made love like they once had, before she had left him.

The thought made him seethe in anger. He growled once more, glaring at the man that was accompanying them. He knew she had fallen in love again, she must have! The way she smiled at him, always meeting his gaze…it sickened him to the core. No other man could have her. She was his by nature and law. She was bound to him for eternity. He wouldn't lose her to some other fool that was unworthy.

"Daemen, why can't we grab her now?" A childish voice beside him whined. He turned, scowling at the blue-eyed blonde, who was looking at him hopefully. "Then we could all go home!" He smiled, eyes shining with unheard laughter and joy.

"Because they will surely catch us if we strike now. I just want to watch and wait for weaknesses. Also, I would rather enjoy having two new women to play with. If you would like, Jaze, you may go home." Daemen replied.

"No, I'll wait." The cheerful male looked hopeful at having two new playmates. "I like the younger brunette. The ninja. She's very pretty." Jaze smiled, sighing at the thought.

"Then you will be in charge of her once we get my wife and her little friends. Now, go call Hikaru and see if we need any more men." Daemen chuckled, leaning against the trunk.

"Okay!" Jaze vanished in a flash of green light. Daemen sighed, folding his arms across his chest. He looked back to his wife, watching her face glow with happiness, her laughter soft and inviting. He wanted to be down there, to join in their merriment. But they would surely kill him.

"_Well, it's your own fault. You chased her away. All you had to do was wait for her to be ready, but you were too eager, too lustful. It's your own fault you lost her." _A voice chastised in his head.

"_**I chased her away?! She was the one who refused to obey my wishes!" **_He thundered in reply.

"_Marriage does not mean she has to obey your every whim. Adelya had every right to leave, and I don't blame her for doing so. You abused her! All she did was love you and you abused her! Even I am ashamed of what you did, and I am a part of you!"_

"_**All I asked for was a night of making love, and she refused to participate! She suffered the consequences, so be it! She was worthless anyway."**_

"_You know that isn't true. You loved her once, you would have done anything for her. But once you joined Antimony, all you wanted was power and sex. You knew the minute she found out she would leave, so you pretended everything was okay, until your wedding night. Then you raped her!"_

"_**NO! SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP! YOU'RE WRONG, ALL WRONG! I WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ADELYA! NEVER!" **_Daemen roared in rage. The words echoed around him and he realized in horror that he had screamed aloud. The man across from his wife was drawing his gun, aiming to kill. Adelya was holding the small girl to her, glancing fearfully up at Daemen. He recovered quickly, standing with a smirk.

"Sorry, I hate to ruin your little picnic. I just thought my wife might wish to return home with me." He smiled tightly, eyebrows drawn together.

"You are not welcome here. Leave." The male threatened, finger at the trigger.

"Like I'm afraid of a pathetic human." Daemen snorted. "I just wanted to see how my lovely wife was doing. Terribly, it seems. You aren't treating her properly." He chuckled.

"And just how would you treat her?" The ninja sneered, eyes tight.

"First, I would tie her up. Then I'd kiss her, feel her up, then beat her for everything she's done wrong." Daemen replied indifferently.

"She hasn't done anything wrong! You're the one abusing her!" The ninja spat, glaring daggers at him.

"But she's done everything wrong. From refusing to obey orders to killing my children. She doesn't deserve the kindness you've shown her." Daemen growled. His eyes settled on his wife, who was slowly getting up, glaring back at him coldly.

"Get out of here, Daemen. You're not welcome, no one wants you here. Why don't you just go back to your little gang? You don't care, you never cared, so leave me alone." Her voice was calm and collected, which surprised him greatly.

"Don't worry love, I'll be back when your friends aren't around to protect you. Then we'll see who survives." He blew a kiss, chuckling as he stood, turning and maneuvering through the tree branches, speeding away from the small group. He gave them one last glance, before disappearing from view.

"_I told you so." _The voice rang in his ears. His lip curled, anger burning in his chest, rising in his throat.

"_**Shut up! I'll get her back, you'll see! Once she sees how strong I am…." **_Daemen faltered, shaking his head to clear all doubt. He would show them, prove to them all that he was stronger than anyone, that he was someone Adelya could be proud of. He would show them all what true power was, and win back the women of his dreams.

"_Sure you will. Just keep telling yourself that lie and everything will turn out okay." _The voice mocked. _"Give it up Daemen, she doesn't love you anymore. You hurt her and she ran/ Face it, she'll never return to your arms, not willingly. Why don't you admit defeat and leave her alone, let her be happy for a change? Save us all the humiliation…." _

"_**Never…"**_

--

Some time later, the group had retired inside, most to take naps. Marlene was up in her room, playing with her dolls while Yuffie and Tifa slept next door in Adelya's room. Adelya was asleep on the couch, where Vincent was relaxing now. She was curled up on the opposite end, a light blanket draped over her. Vincent had a book in his lap, flipping to the last page.

"**I'm surprised, host. I thought you would never care for another woman again." **Chaos rumbled in his mind. Vincent sighed, closing his eyes and leaning back.

"_Adelya is merely a friend. I do not love her, I could never love another woman." _Vincent replied, sighing.

"**Are you still moping over that Dr. Crescent woman? Vincent, you will never grow if you stay attached to her. You must let her go, accept fate. She died because of her own choices. But she saved you. Do not let her death be in vain."**

"_I do not wish to speak of this, especially not with you."_

"**Vincent, you must face the truth! You can't sit around, trying to 'atone' for sins you did not create!" **Chaos roared furiously. **"She let you live, she must have wanted you to move on!"**

"_I said ENOUGH!" _Vincent growled, trying to block Chaos.

"You're talking with him again, aren't you?" A feminine voice broke through his mind.

"_Yes, I am."_

"**Idiot. She can't hear you. Now's your chance! You know you feel something for Adelya, try and get closer to her!"** Vincent jerked his head up, frowning as he saw nothing in front of him. He shifted his glance sideways, smiling as he found Adelya propped up on one elbow, arcing an eyebrow at him.

"Yes, I was. How did you know?" He asked.

"You got this irritated look on your face…and you kept frowning." Adelya grinned, shaking her head.

"He was bringing up things I would rather not discuss with him." Vincent replied, sighing.

"Things like…Dr. Crescent? You kept mouthing her name…" She explained at his narrowed gaze.

"He, like you, is continuously trying to get me to let her go." Vincent muttered sourly.

"Hey, I stopped trying to convince you. You're one stubborn man, one not to be tampered with. I learned my lesson the first time." Her eyes dropped from his, looking for something interesting on the floor.

"I never meant for that to happen…" He replied quietly.

"Look, it's over, done with, in the past. I don't want to talk about it." She rolled onto her back, wrapping her arms protectively around her torso, as she always did.

"You surprised me earlier." He changed subject, knowing when not to press. "I didn't think you would stand up to your husband like that."

"He's _not _my husband. I didn't marry a psycho-path that is intent to ruin my life. I married a really sweet guy, who loved me for who I was. He changed, just a few days before the wedding. I thought maybe he was just nervous…but he was colder. I ignored it, until that day at the altar. The priest asked me if I would take Daemen as my husband, and all I could see in his face was power. No love, no joy, no excitement. He was just…cold. But I ignored my gut, and I married the foulest creature on the planet. He didn't bother to keep up the act, he just dropped it and the abuse began." She closed her eyes, pursing her lips. "I tried for a divorce, several times. But he always got so angry…." She flinched, drawing her legs up to her body.

"Did you ever fight back, or were you always submissive?"

"In the beginning, I always fought back. I was free to do what I wanted, I didn't need him telling me what I could and couldn't do." Bitterness filled her voice. "But it hurt so much….he eventually broke me. I'm only starting to get that part of me back." She whispered.

"At least you're gaining a part of your old life back." He smiled kindly at her.

"And you could too, if you tried. It's not so bad, it just takes a little time and self-confidence. You could do it again, be who you once were. You just need to move on, like I said before. You can't let the past hold you down. Or you'll be miserable forever. Trust me, the latter isn't fun." She chuckled quietly.

"I could have saved her, I could have stopped Sephiroth and-"

"You would have never met your friends. You would have never saved Marlene. You would have never helped me. I would be dead by now." Her voice was short and sweet, a tone he knew well. It meant the end of the conversation.

"I…" He hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He was all out of reasons for holding on to the past. Perhaps Chaos was right, maybe he was just afraid of falling in love again.

"Forget it. You loved her, and she chose another man. That hurts, I know. It was the same for me, but there wasn't another woman involved. It was just me or his friends. He chose them." She said bitterly.

"As Lucrecia chose Hojo." Vincent sighed. "Looks like we've both had our share of problems."

"Exactly. We just have to try and move on, that's all we can do. And in my opinion, you've been doing a very good job about it." She bounced forward and before he knew it, her soft lips were pressed to his cheek. His eyes widened, body stiffening in response. She jumped up quickly, light on her feet. "I'm going to take a better nap in my bed. See you at dinner." She waved, and left the room as if nothing had occurred.

Vincent lifted his hand, touching the place where her lips had been. They were softer than he had imagined. They weren't too dry, or too wet, just perfect in his opinion. A smile crept up his lips, staying in place even as Chaos began to speak.

"**You see host, I knew it would turn out just right. Maybe next time you'll get a taste of her lips. She's very beautiful, and she's good for you. You're much happier with her around." **He chuckled. Vincent nodded, not saying a word. He was content just to lean back and close his eyes, resting his head on the couch.

--

The moon was nearly at its peak in the sky. Vincent watched it from his porch swing, lightly pushing himself to and fro. The hinges on the front door creaked as it swung open, caught before it hit the hall by a feminine hand. "Vincent?" She whispered, closing the door quietly behind her. She stepped into the moonlight, smiling at him. "What did you want me to see?"

He looked up, breath catching as he saw her. It wasn't anything new, just some jeans torn at the knees, her usual black boots, and a tight black top with bell sleeves. Her hair was neatly pulled back in a ponytail, two silver strands framing her face. For some reason she seemed more beautiful now than ever before.

"So, are you done staring yet?" Adelya's giggles broke his attention. Pink tainted his cheeks and he suddenly wished he was wearing his cloak. What a fool we had been to pack it in his bag.

"I'm sorry." He ducked his head, gazing intently at the floor. He didn't hear her footsteps, causing him to jump as her fingertips slid under his chin, tilting his head upward.

"Don't worry about it. So tell me, what was so important that I needed to wake up and take a shower and change as soon as possible?" She quirked an eyebrow.

"We're going on an adventure." His lips twitched into a smile. She shook her head.

"And where are you taking me and midnight?" Her free and went to her hip, the other dropping to rest at her side.

"Where you first suggested we go. To see Lucrecia." His smile faltered as he said the name. It still hurt, knowing she had chosen a mad scientist over himself. But it was less painful, he realized, when he talked to Adelya about it. She had a feeling of safety and comfort around her, and that no matter what you said, she wouldn't judge you or take sides. That was one reason he enjoyed her company.

"How long will it take? I don't want to worry our friends…" Her voice was tentative as she bit her lip. She always did that, when she was worried or unsure of herself. It drew him in even more, her insecurity. She was always afraid of saying the wrong thing, messing up their new friendship. He wanted to just tell her that there was nothing she could say to upset him, but that wasn't quite true. She could always make snips about his past, as she had done the first time. He inwardly cringed. "Vincent? You're zoning out on me…" She spoke up, grinning.

"I'm sorry." He glanced back up at her, showing she still had his attention. "How long? A few weeks most likely, maybe a month. It would be faster, but I think we should walk instead." His lips twitched back into a smile, staying that way.

"Weeks? Walking? What about our friends, won't they be a little worried when they find us both missing?"

"I left a note on the counter, and on the bed stands. Don't worry about it." He stood up, crossing his arms. "Anything else you are concerned with?" He was ready to leave, ready to spend time with her, get to know her a little better.

"There's just one, small thing. Food. Clothes. Money. You know, just some trivial matters of little importance." She quipped.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You do realize trivial means of little importance, correct?" His laughter grew at the glare she sent him. "I have it all packed, ready to go." He gestured to two backpacks resting by the door.

"And when did you happen to pack my stuff without my noticing?" She cocked an eyebrow.

"While you were asleep, of course. Yuffie slept through it all, especially when I dropped your shampoo bottle in the bathroom." He grinned as she smacked his arm.

"You're not supposed to go through my stuff! You're a man, you're supposed to have a sense of decency!" Her cheeks flushed, her glare fading. He shook his head and stepped around her, going to pick up his own bag.

"Are you ready to go or not?" He asked, tossing her bag. She barely caught it, scowling at him.

"Yes, I am. So, I take it we're sleeping on the ground?" She asked.

"I brought extra money, in case we ran out of food or chose to sleep at an inn during rain. Otherwise, yes. But I packed a tent. Small, but it will have to do. I hope you do not mind sharing." He quirked an eyebrow. She flushed, shouldering her bag.

"Not at all. Let's go!" She hurried down the steps, the flush rising terribly in her face. She rushed through the open gate, trying to compose herself. "Come on!" She called over her shoulder, slowing her pace as the heat left her face.

Vincent happily sped up, until he was next to her. "We'll stop around Cosmo Canyon tomorrow evening for our first rest point. After that, we'll just have to see." He told her.

"Good." She bit her lip again, hesitating. "Vincent? What…what exactly brought all of this on?" She looked up at him, breath catching as she met his gaze, which was soft, eyes glittering in the glow of the moonlight.

"I decided you were right, I need to let go of my past. The only way to do that is to tell Lucrecia good-bye, and know for myself this is what she wanted for me." He explained briefly, deciding not to go into full detail. He wouldn't tell her that it was also because of his growing emotions for her, her kiss, and Chaos' constant pestering. The demon would simply not rest until Vincent did something about the matter.

"We can do this together than. You'll let yours go, and I'll work on doing the same. We both win." She smiled, reaching for his hand. He accepted I, squeezing it to comfort her.

"You will recover from what he did to you. I have faith."

A/N: Well, finally another chapter up. None of this turned out as I planned, but I like it. I decided the last part the other day, realizing I was going to get nowhere if they just stayed in Nibelheim. This chapter took a long time, I had a good deal of writer's block.

Those of you that are reading my other stories, I'll be updating soon. I've already stared their chapters, it just got pushed aside so I could work on this chapter.

Up next, there will be adventure, fighting, and some nice flashbacks. Reviews are love, so review if you want to give me motivation! Without my readers and reviewers, I have not motivation, so review and give some encouragement!


	6. The Journey Begins

"Vincent, when can we stop to rest again?" Adelya had fought the complaint for a while now, but she had to give in to her burning legs. Her entire body ached with each movement, slowing her down greatly.

"Now is fine. I was wondering when you were going to ask." He sounded amused. She looked over to find him watching her, clearly enjoying her pain. She narrowed her eyes, slipping her pack from her shoulders. She threw it at him in annoyance, stalking off to sit under a ledge in the shade.

Vincent easily caught her pack, following her to where she sat. "Do you want your sandwich?" He asked, dropping her belongings at her feet. She muttered something unintelligible and dragged her pack to her side, opening it. She dug through it until she had pulled out a water bottle and something wrapped in tin foil. He watched her curiously until she took her first bite. "Are you angry with me?" He asked.

"No, just annoyed. You've been waiting for me to say when?" She looked at him with something akin to disbelief.

"If you hadn't said it I was going to. Walking is no fun if you're tired all the time." He sighed, unwrapping his own sandwich.

"So I get to say when now?" She pressed, tilting her head. He nodded, keeping his eyes on his sandwich. "Yes!" Out of the corner of his eye he saw her pump one fist in the air, something she had learned from Yuffie. She slouched back against the rock, closing her eyes. She finished her sandwich in silence, as did Vincent. Once she was done, she rolled the tin foil in a ball and stuffed it back into her bag.

"You're awfully quiet." He commented, taking a sip of his untouched water. She shrugged in response, settling into the rock once more.

"Just thinking." She replied, sighing softly. "About where I want to go when all of this is over. What I'm going to do when Daemen and his friends are dead. I've been with him for so long…I don't know what to do with my freedom. Well, I'm not technically free, but I'm not with him anymore. It's nice, knowing I don't need to be afraid anymore. Careful, but not afraid."

"Where do you think you'll head?" Vincent asked.

"Maybe I'll go to Wutai with Yuffie and become a ninja." Her lips twisted into a smile. "Or go live with Tifa for a while, help around her bar. She could use the help when Cloud's gone. I could even go stay with Cid and Shera and work as an engineer. Or maybe I'll travel the world as a mercenary. Who really knows?"

"So many choices out there, you just need to find the right one."

"I'll find something one of these days. But for now, I think I'll just hang around with you, if that's okay." Adelya smiled slightly.

"You are more than welcome to stay with me." He wasn't doing it out of courtesy, he wanted her to stay with him. Those feelings shouldn't exist, but there was no way to get rid of them. Vincent would simply have to keep his mouth shut, even if she felt the same way.

"I think I'll take you up on that. Now, if you're up for it, we should try reaching Cosmo Canyon before nightfall." Adelya stood, slinging her pack across her shoulder. She walked into the sun once more, turning to face him.

"Hopefully we can pass the Canyon before night." Vincent murmured, getting up as well. He grabbed his bag, following her into the sun and through the canyon.

"I hate these stairs." Adelya griped, practically dragging herself up the stairs that led to the entrance of Cosmo Canyon. She heard a chuckle behind her and scowled, throwing a dirty look over her shoulder. "It's not funny. I'm going to keel over from exhaustion and roll backwards and knock you down the stairs."

"Hm, you must be tired. Your sarcasm and wit are failing you."

"I really don't want to kick your ass right now, please don't tempt me." Adelya failed miserably at her attempt to sound angry, her voice only succeeding to let slip how exhausted she truly was. Looking up at where she hoped the final stairs would be, she sighed. They were at least halfway up, if not farther. But it still felt like they had hours more to go. But then again, it all looked the same. Maybe it was some kind of hallucination. Or she could be dreaming. Yes, dreaming had to be it. It was definitely a better solution than going crazy.

"Just a few more steps and that'll be all." Vincent told her.

"Good." Adelya all but fell up the last steps, looking around at the town once she was on level ground. Torches lit the entrances to the shops and candles glowed from the shop windows. She smiled tiredly and took a step forward.

"Halt!" A voice boomed, seeming only inches from her ear. She turned her head, surprised to find a man a few inches taller than her standing there, one hand on his hip. He was trying to be all high and mighty, but the look didn't fit his boyish appearance.

"We are friends of Nanaki." Vincent said quickly, glancing uncertainly at his companion. She wasn't standing completely straight, her body was tilted to the side, although she was leaning the opposite way.

"Oh! Shall I go tell him of your arrival?" The man questioned.

"Yes." Vincent nodded, watching the man turn and run toward the observatory. "Adelya, sit down. You're not looking so well." He commanded softly.

"You don't have to tell me twice." She bent to kneel, falling in a heap to the ground. "That's definitely going to hurt tomorrow." She grumbled, rubbing at her legs where the aching was worst.

"Why didn't you tell me how tired you were?" He stood over her, frowning severely.

"Because it didn't look so far away and I thought I could make it. Besides, I wasn't about to slow you down." Adelya sighed, looking up at him. She quickly turned her head, avoiding his burning gaze. Her heart thudded unevenly, almost painfully against her chest. It didn't feel quite right, the emotion flooding through her. She couldn't be in love, could she? No, the emotion was too weak to be called love. Maybe it was just a crush. Yea, that must be it, a crush.

"Vincent, Adelya, what brings you by here?" Nanaki's voice shook her back into reality.

"We're going to Lucrecia's cave." She told him, glancing up at her friend.

"Really?" The beast looked at Vincent curiously, surprised when the gunslinger nodded solemnly. "Well then, I suppose you'll only be staying the night?"

"Probably." Vincent answered.

"Well, you are more than welcome to stay with me. I'll show you to your room." Nanaki turned to walk away.

"Room?" Adelya asked.

"Well, yes, I only have one room for guests. But it has two beds, don't worry." Nanaki chuckled. Adelya didn't respond, watching him head to the observatory. She had to share a room with him? Could she manage to do that, sleep in the same room with him? Or would these new emotions get the best of her? No, that couldn't happen. She needed to crush these feelings, before they endangered the both of them. She wasn't going to let him get hurt because of her, not like Avin.

"Can you get up, or do you need help?" Vincent asked, kneeling beside her.

"I think I can get up, hold on." Adelya shifted onto her knees, attempting to push herself up. She got into a crouch and rose up shakily, her muscles protesting and quivering at the strain put on them.

"You look like you're about to fall over." He commented.

"It kind of feels like it. But don't worry, I can make it." She moved forward to prove her words, each step more painful than the last. She made it to the ladder and got halfway up before her legs gave in. With a startled cry she fell. Her eyes closed, waiting for the solid impact. But instead she was caught by two strong arms and cradled to Vincent's chest.

"Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine. Thanks." She leaned her head on his shoulder, too exhausted to fight her limits anymore. She let him carry her up the ladder and to the bedroom, grinning as he set her down on one of the beds. "Thanks." Adelya pulled her backpack from her shoulders, pushing it to the floor. She rolled with a small groan, burying her face in the pillow. "You aren't going to wake me up early, are you?" She turned her head, watching Vincent set down his belongings.

"No, you can sleep in. We aren't on a schedule." He replied, sitting on the edge of his bed. She nodded, sitting up to take her shoes off. She kicked them into the floor and dropped back on the bed, dragging the covers up to her shoulders. She closed her eyes, smiling faintly.

"Night Vincent."

"Good night, Adelya."

_---Dream 1—_

_Adelya closed the book in her lap, setting it on the table beside her. It was hardly noon and she had already finished two books. There was nothing else to do in the house, except clean and make lunch for herself. She would give anything to go out and have fun, but that was impossible. If she left the boundaries of her home, the collar was sure to shock her, as it always did if she ever crossed the line. She was not about to forget that lesson._

_She got to her feet, glancing first at the kitchen, and then to the hall her bedroom was on. She decided it would be best to eat first and then nap, so she chose the kitchen. Walking across the living room and around the counter, she turned on the sink and picked up a plate from earlier, grabbing a sponge. As the soapy material slid across the plate, she looked out the window across the room, at the trees surrounding her home and the occasional breaks where stretches of blue were visible. Even if she didn't like living here, she enjoyed the view. _

_She set the dish back in the water and closed her eyes, sighing heavily. A knock at the door made her jump, eyes opening quickly. She dried her hands on the towel folded beside the sink and walked to the door. Grasping the brass handle, she pulled it open, surprised at who she saw._

"_Avin!" She grasped the dirty blonde by the arm, pulling him quickly inside. She checked the forest briefly, closing and locking the door. "What are you doing here?" She demanded, turning to face him._

"_Someone told me you were in danger and needed help. I've come to rescue you." He smiled, taking her hand. "Adelya, you aren't going to suffer anymore. I've come to take you away. Go pack your things and we'll leave." _

"_Avin, it's not that simple. I can't just up and leave." She pulled away, shaking her head._

"_Of course you can. Now come on, we're wasting time standing here arguing."_

"_Avin, I can't leave! You don't understand! If I take a step out that door I'll-" She stopped abruptly, shaking her head. "I can't go."_

"_So, the rumors are true. I didn't want to believe them, but it's true. He's been abusing you, hasn't he? That's why you're afraid to leave. But I promise you, I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe." Avin smiled sadly at his childhood friend. It had been years since his last visit, but they kept in touch through letters. Everything had seemed fine at first, but after she'd gotten married a year ago, the letters were few and short. He had known something was wrong, but he had been sailing, and it took a while for him to realize something was wrong. Once arriving in the nearest town, he learned his dear friend only came into town with her husband and she looked miserable all the time._

"_That's not the only reason I can't leave. Look." She pulled down the collar of her turtleneck, revealing a blood red collar that was embedded with wires and a small fuse box in the back._

"_You think that's really going to stop me? One of the ladies in town mentioned something about you having a collar. I didn't think it was true, but I came prepared, just in case." Avin gestured to duffel bag he carried. He unzipped it, retrieving wire cutters. "Now, sit on the couch, this will only take a second." He smiled, leading her to the couch. _

"_You're incredible, you know that?" Adelya smiled up at her friend, pulling her hair from the back of her neck, holding it up._

"_Thanks. Now, I'm going to be careful, but you might still get stung a bit. Let me know if it hurts." Avin told her, setting his hand lightly on her shoulder. She nodded, closing her eyes. Avin nodded, snapping the first wire. He looked to see her reaction, but there was no pain. "It works!" He laughed, clipping the rest of the wires. He took scissors from his bag, cutting the red fabric the wires had been embedded in. The collar fell away, into Adelya's lap. She dropped her hair and picked up the material, tears filling her eyes. With a cry of joy she was on her feet, spinning around to hug Avin._

"_I can't believe you did it! Thank you so much!" She cried, her face in the crook of his neck._

"_Anytime. Now, go pack your things so we can get a move on. I want us to be out of here within the hour." He told her. Adelya nodded and released him, jogging up the three steps, turning left to head down the hall to her room. She didn't hear the footsteps behind her as she opened the door and stepped inside. But she did hear a soft gasp, followed by a noise of anger. She turned to her friend and followed his gaze to the far wall, which was decorated in pictures. _

_A few of the pictures were normal, the happier times in life. Daemen with his arm around her as they cuddled on the couch, or the two as they kissed beneath a tall oak. But as her eyes traveled farther down the wall, the pictures began to change. Some involved him shaking her, others involved her curled up on the floor, a towel pressed to her arm or leg, wherever she was bleeding. The final pictures were of her chained to the bed, covered in blood and bruises. A few even showed him using some weapon on her, enjoying her pain. Evident in the majority of the pictures were her tears._

"_God….Adel, how…how did this happen? Why didn't anyone stop him? Why didn't you call for help, contact me, at least ask somebody for help?" Avin spoke in a tone strangled with anger and fear._

"_He didn't always hurt me, he used to be sweet. Things changed after the wedding. He's a powerful man now, most people are afraid to stand up to him." She knelt by the bed, reaching under it for something to carry her belongings in, preferably a backpack. _

"_Didn't you think to divorce him, go to someone for help?" His tone rose, sharper than necessary._

"_Nymphs don't believe in divorce." She whispered. "Believe me, I've tried. Even when I went to the priest to annul my marriage, I was stopped. Daemen never trusted me alone, his friends have always kept an eye on me. I'm a little surprised they haven't shown up yet to kill you." Her lips pursed, eyes watering at the thought._

"_You've changed a lot, haven't you?" Avin asked, eyes softening as he watched her rummage through drawers, stuffing clothes into her bag. _

"_A little bit." She replied, standing and going to the closet. She finished packing and drew a sheathed sword from the closet, her breath catching. "He kept this…" She attached it to her hip, shakily drawing the rapier. She slowly moved her fingers across the blade, eyes shining on the polished metal. "Still just as I remember it…"_

"_I hope you can still parry a blow." She turned, laughing as she saw his mischievous grin._

"_I suppose we'll have to practice later, see if I can remain undefeated by you. But now isn't the time, we've got to leave." She slung the bag over her shoulder, sheathing her blade._

"_Right. Come on, let's go." Avin took her hand, leading her from the room. They hurried to the door, knowing time was running out. "Adelya, get back." He warned. Before she could protest he shoved her a few feet back and two blades clashed, his own quivering in his grasp._

"_Daemen…" Adelya's knees went weak as she watched her husband shove her friend back, taking a step into the house._

"_My, my, having a party without me? Where are your manners?" He glanced casually at his wife, withdrawing his blade. "And with another man no less. Haven't we talked about these things?" He flashed a smile most women would swoon for, but it only made her stomach heave._

"_Get out of my way." Avin growled, bangs falling over his eyes. He shifted his sword to offense, eyeing his opponent._

"_I don't think you're in any position to threaten me. This is my house, after all. Aren't you being a bit rude?" Daemen cocked his head curiously, his smile never fading._

"_Like hell I am!" Avin barked, lunging forward. His jaw clenched as their blades crossed once more, his feet planted firmly on the wooden floor._

"_Adelya, how could you let such a rude man enter my house? And one with a weapon no less." Daemen clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "What a shame, I didn't want to hurt you anymore. I thought you finally understood the rules around here. Oh, what a shame!"_

"_He's my friend, he was trying to help me. Why can't you just let me go? You said you didn't want to hurt me anymore, so let me go." Adelya replied, tears in her eyes as she looked at her husband and friend. _

"_You know there's no such thing as a divorce from me." Daemen withdrew his sword, plunging it through Avin's stomach. The other man cried out, gasping in a shaky breath._

"_AVIN!" Adelya lurched forward, collapsing on weak knees._

"_I warned you to start following my rules. Now your friend will pay the price." With a chuckled he removed his sword, letting the body fall to the ground. Daemen plunged the sword through Avin's chest and twisted it, glancing up as two dark figures appeared. "Take this garbage and throw it in the river." He yanked his sword free and spat on the body before grabbing Adelya by the wrist, dragging her back inside. Screams echoed all around and it took a moment for her to realize they were coming from her. Her eyes remained locked on her limp friend, until the other two nymphs had dragged him from sight._

**A/N: **I want to tahnk all of you that have continued reading and reviewing and to those of you who have been waiting for this update. I hate that it came so late, but I've been so busy for the longest time with family and friends and school. But I finally have time on my hands and I fully intend to devote my free time to updating my stories.

Also, in the next few chapters, my characters may seem a little OOC as I try and get used to writing them once more. It's been such a long time…I haven't used Adelya in forever and I'm only now starting to get used to her again. However, I will do my best because that's what you guys deserve after such a long wait!

Reviews are love and they encourage me to continue. =)


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